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Firefighter’s Shovels |
Edge Angle
Unlike gardening shovels, firefighter shovels are sharpened on the top edge (the concave side).
A mind is a terrible thing to baste.
Anonymous
A 6" smooth cut machinist’s hand file is useful to carry with you. Use it with a draw filing approach to resharpen the shovel as needed throughout the tool's usage for the day.
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General Guidelines |
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| α |
Sharp
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Notes |
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| 40° |
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These tools are typically stamped ouf of metals which are not terribly hard. Consider this when selecting sharpening tools: if too much heat is generated in the sharpening activity, this can easily remove whatever temper was added to the metal.
Shaping the edge: New shovels I have purchased have an angle (α) of 90°. Therefore, initial shaping of the edge is to be expected.
A machinist’s hand file such as a 12-14" bastard file is often sufficient for this task.
If you use an angle grinder, consider using a 120 grit flap disc. A metal grinding wheel may be needed for large-scale shaping. In either case, be sure to not overheat the metal too much: it weakens the metal.
Use a machinist’s hand file.
Example icon
Sharpness scales (as shown in the grey icon to the left) are used to indicate the recommended sharpness for the blades noted above. You can click on any of the icons showing the sharpness scale and be redirected to the page describing this more. Lower numbers are duller; higher numbers sharper.
These are general recommendations; you will need to use your own judgment, based on the knive’s intended purpose.
